Tires, as a vehicle's sole link with the roadway, play a key role in automotive safety and also have an indirect influence on fuel consumption, as well as many other characteristics. Rubber tires, such as those used in transportation, are conventionally prepared with a rubber tread. Such rubber tread is often composed of a specified rubber composition. Some desired attributes of high performance tires include superior wet grip (wet traction) and superior rolling resistance, e.g., the force resisting the motion when a tire rolls on the surface. While dry grip is usually maintained by many rubber compositions, wet grip is not. Rubber compositions having good wet grip improve wet skid resistance however the tradeoff is the loss of rolling resistance which contributes to decreased fuel economy.
There exists an ongoing need for improved rubber compositions able to provide properties suitable for the fabrication of high performance tires.